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If you have researched replacement options for your missing tooth, chances are you have come across the words “dental implants”. But how do you know if this option is the best for you? With help from your Adairsville, GA dentist, Dr. Todd Edwards, you can arm yourself with the knowledge to make an informed decision.

Why are dental implants necessary?
Missing teeth cause many detrimental things to happen. Over time, the bone breaks down and degrades, potentially leaving behind sagging facial muscles. The teeth around the gap move to compensate for the gap’s extra room, affecting the bite and chewing surface. Dental implants replace a missing tooth to provide a sturdy, stable prosthetic root and tooth. Surgically implanted into the bone, dental implants are the most secure and permanent form of tooth replacement.

The Parts of a Dental Implant
Fixture: The implant’s fixture is a small post which integrates into the bone underneath the gum line to replace the tooth’s root. The fixture provides a secure foundation for the rest of the implant after becoming enveloped in the jawbone.
Abutment: The implant’s abutment connects the implants fixture to the prosthetic tooth.
Crown: The crown replaces your missing tooth. It looks, feels and functions just like a natural tooth and is customized in a dental laboratory.

What is the procedure like?
The dental implant procedure takes place in two parts. Part one starts with a consultation with your dentist, who takes a mold of your mouth to send to the dental laboratory. This mold allows the lab to design each implant’s crown specifically for you ensuring a natural look. During surgery, your dentist implants the fixtures into the bone. The healing process takes several months. During this time, the posts integrate into the bone becoming the tooth’s replacement root. Part two of the dental implants procedure takes place once integration is successful. The abutment attaches to the fixture, and the prosthetic tooth attaches to the abutment. After the second part of the process, the implants fit, function and feel just like your natural teeth.

Brushing your teeth may seem as commonplace as brushing your hair or taking a shower but you may be a bit surprised to hear that a little more work goes into getting your teeth cleaned, so don’t go into autopilot when you pick up your toothbrush. From the office of your Adairsville, GA dentist Dr. Todd Edwards, here are some ways to make sure you are getting the best clean from your daily brushing.

Good Brushing Techniques

Do you know how to hold your toothbrush? If you said at a 45-degree angle then you would be absolutely correct. This will ensure that the bristles reach not only the tooth’s surface but also under the gumline where food and plaque can easily get trapped.

Once you have your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle be sure that you get all surfaces of each tooth: outer, inner and the crown/chewing surface. Having trouble figuring out how to clean the inner surface of the front teeth? No problem. Just turn the brush vertically and use an up-and-down motion to really make sure that you keep your teeth clean and free of plaque.

Lastly, don’t forget to brush your tongue. It can be one of the most forgotten parts about brushing but doing this will remove the bacteria that cause bad breath. Brushing twice a day in for a minimum of two minutes each time following these brushing techniques will certainly boost your oral care regime.

Of course, remember that brushing is only part of the oral hygiene equation and you still need to floss daily, eat healthy meals and see your Adairsville general dentist for routine cleanings and exams.

While having good at-home brushing skills is vitally important it will never take the place of those six-month visits. If it’s time you visited your Adairsville family dentist then call Adairsville Family Dentistry to schedule your next routine cleaning.

We all want to have the perfect smile. Unfortunately, everything from decay and infection to direct trauma can weaken and damage healthy teeth. If this happens to you, it’s comforting to know that the solution is as close as your nearest Adairsville dentist Dr. Todd Edwards. Find out how dental crowns could restore damaged teeth and revive your oral health.

What are dental crowns?

These caps cover an entire tooth to restore function, strength and aesthetics. Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials including gold, porcelain and ceramic. While options like ceramic and porcelain offer a more realistic look, all-metal crowns can offer more durable protection. Your Adairsville dentist will often recommend that a patient get a dental crown when a tooth has sustained significant structural damage due to injury, disease, decay or teeth grinding.

How can crowns give me a new smile?

A dental crown is designed to preserve a damaged tooth to protect it from further damage. By getting a dental crown, you can prevent the need to see your Adairsville dentist for either a tooth extraction or more aggressive treatment. A dental crown can be used to restore any of these smile issues:

A fractured tooth

To hide chipped and cracked teeth

To cover severely stained or misshapen teeth

To restore a weakened tooth

To cover a dental implant

To anchor a dental bridge in place

From the obvious aesthetic advantages to boosting strength and durability, a dental crown can help you achieve a stronger smile that can truly last. Don’t let decay or infection take over your smile. With dental crowns, your Adairsville dentist can rescue your smile and revive your oral health.

If you want to find out if dental crowns are right for you then it’s time to schedule an appointment with Adairsville Family Dentistry. Call our office today!

Are your missing or badly damaged teeth ruining your beautiful smile? If so, the dentists at Adairsville Family Dentistry in Adairsville, VA have just the solution for you - dentures. Today's dentures are a far cry from the dentures your grandma used to wear. They're natural-looking, bright, and sure to make you look amazing!

As people age, their facial structures naturally begin to sag over time. The result is a face that looks slightly sunken in and droopy. However, it isn't just age that causes this to happen. If you are missing several teeth, this sagging, droopy effect can occur no matter how old you are. This is because the teeth are needed to push our your lips and mouth for a full, youthful appearance. Without them, you look older.

Thankfully, visiting your dentist at Adairsville Family Dentistry in Adairsville, VA is one easy way to combat this drooping and sagging, making your face and mouth look much younger again. You'll be surprised at what a difference a pair of quality dentures can make.

A fuller smile isn't the only benefit that dentures provide, either. They also allow you to smile and be friendlier than ever before. No one wants to show off a missing or incomplete smile, and as a result, you may appear less friendly or sociable than you would otherwise. With a new pair of dentures from a dentist at Adairsville Family Dentistry in Adairsville, VA, this won't be a problem. You can smile, engage, and truly enjoy life again. There's nothing more beautiful than a huge, gorgeous smile on a person who is able to truly enjoy life.

Some people worry that dentures will make them look older. Thankfully, this is far from the truth. Not only are today's dentures incredibly realistic looking, but if you pair them with dental implants, you'll end up with a smile that will look and feel completely natural. In fact, no one needs to know that your teeth aren't your own - they will look that realistic.

Many of our patients here at Adairsville Family Dentistry in Adairsville, VA are amazed at how different and wonderful they look once they visit one of our dentists for a quality pair of dentures. You may just be surprised too. Give us a call today and find out what a quality set of custom-fit dentures can do for your appearance and your oral health today.

Dispel the popular myths surrounding this tooth loss replacement treatment.

If you’re thinking about dental implants then you’ve probably put a lot of time and effort into finding out more about this treatment. After all, the procedure is lengthy and requires a lot of commitment on the part of the patient, so you want to make sure you’re ready for this extensive tooth replacement process; however, not everything you read online is accurate and you may have heard things about dental implants that just aren’t true. Adairsville Family Dentistry is here to debunk these popular implant myths.

Myth #1: Dental implants require a lot of special care.

Truth: Just because this implant isn’t a natural tooth doesn’t mean you need to treat it any differently. In fact, a dental implant is built to last and mimics the look and function of a natural tooth. So chew gum, savor delicious meals and continue brushing your teeth as you have been.

Myth #2: Dental implants have been known to cause migraines.

Truth: This is a newer myth that has been circulating and it blames the titanium in the implant for causing headaches. However, there has been no clinical proof to support that these two things are connected. If you are experiencing headaches after getting a dental implant then talk to your Adairsville dentist. Sometimes frequent headaches can be due to nerve damage or even a bad bite, which causes TMJ-related symptoms like jaw pain and headaches.

Myth #3: Dental implants are only for those who don’t have health problems.

Truth: While ideally we want our patients to have good oral and general health, this doesn’t mean that people who have diabetes or heart disease can’t get dental implants. Our main goal during your treatment is to make sure that everything heals quickly with as little side effects and discomfort as possible.

Sometimes uncontrolled health conditions can impede healing, making your treatment process last longer than we would like. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with a chronic health problem we want you to have it under control (e.g., taking medication) before you opt for implants.

Myth #4: Getting dental implants is painful.

Truth: While the word surgery doesn’t evoke the most pleasant images, we take every precaution to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible during your procedure. We also perform implant surgery under local anesthesia, which will numb your mouth to ensure that you feel little to no discomfort. For those who are particularly anxious, we can also prescribe oral sedation to help make the procedure even more comfortable.

If you are interested in finding out if dental implants can improve your toothless smile, then it’s time to contact your Adairsville dentist, Dr. Todd Edwards, DDS with Adairsville Family Dentistry.

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